Three Rivers, Conn., is coming alive on the big screen. The fictional town, which is the setting for the bestselling novels of Mansfield resident Wally Lamb, looks a lot like Norwich.
As well it should. “Three Rivers” is the make-believe stand-in for Norwich, Lamb’s hometown. “Wishin and Hopin,” the first Lamb novel to be adapted for film, was shot at Norwich Free Academy, as well as in Jewett City and Willimantic.
The Christmas movie, which will be shown on the Lifetime Channel on Dec. 6, had its world theatrical premiere Nov. 23, at the Garde Arts Center in New London, at two screenings that sold out the 1,400-seat house. It will be screened two more times in the coming weeks at events in New Haven and Storrs.
The comedy tells the story of Felix Funicello and his friends and enemies at Saint Aloyius Gonzaga Parochial School in 1964. The school’s annual Christmas pageant is forever changed when a substitute teacher, played by Molly Ringwald, comes up with a new idea for a holiday presentation. It also stars Wethersfield native Annabella Sciorra, Meat Loaf, Cheri Oteri and Conchata Ferrell.
The cute film, with a cast full of plucky, scene-stealing child actors, is the first film produced by Rocky Hill-based production company Synthetic Cinema International that isn’t a straight-to-DVD creature feature. In a talk before the New London screening, producer Andrew Gernhard said the path from book to movie began two years ago, at a meeting between Gernhard and Lamb at Rein’s Deli in Vernon.
The movie is faithful to the book, but leaves out a few things, the most noteworthy being Felix’s mother’s appearance on TV at the Pillsbury Bake-Off. But it leaves in the segment at “Ranger Andy,” the kids’ TV show that is familiar to anyone who grew up in Connecticut in that era. Felix goes there with his Junior Midshipmen troop and says something he shouldn’t on live TV.
Synthetic Cinema’s next movie also is a departure from creature features, a comedy with an all-Hispanic cast, including Elizabeth Peña, in one of her final roles, and Luis Guzmán. “Ana Maria in Novela Land” tells the story of a woman whose life is a mess, who changes places with the lead character in her favorite telenovela. It is set to be released last year.
“WISHIN’ AND HOPIN'” will be shown at John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent St. in New Haven, Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. Wally Lamb will be present. Admission is $10, $5 children, $25 VIP All ticket proceeds benefit the SCSU Scholarship Fund. Details: tickets.southernct.edu.
It also will be shown Thursday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. at Student Union Theater, University of Connecticut in Storrs. Admission is free. Director Colin Theys and screenwrier John Doolan will be present. Details: here.
The film will make its TV premiere on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m. on the Lifetime Channel.
